


To be Kings

by Unimpairable



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Achievement Hunter Kings, Alternate Universe - Minecraft, Creeper!Gavin, Dark God Ryan, Feral!Michael, Immortality, Survival, dragon!Kdin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-02 19:53:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5261420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unimpairable/pseuds/Unimpairable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six kings in the world, reigning over their kingdoms with unique powers and beliefs. Geoff, the king of Achievement City, a kingdom devoted to entertainment. Jack, the ruler of Sunrise Villa, a peaceful farming community that supples to other kingdoms. Ryan, the crowned demon who oversees the Underworld, a place that makes the Nether look safe. Gavin, the fool of a king who took charge over Sovereign, an intricate and complex settlement that grows larger every day. Michael, a leader rather than a true king for the Forest Kingdom, a gaggle of feral people who could practically speak to the earth. Ray, a benevolent and peace loving ruler of the Rose Garden, a beautiful land filled with fauna and flora. They had nothing in common...until one day, each was forced from their throne in a conspiracy and forced to live in a pit in an abandoned stretch of world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Banishment

"GET IN THERE!" A man would shout as he shoved the king to the wooden floor of the boat, ignoring his pained cries. Geoff had landed on his injured leg, cringing as he felt the pain rise up through his body and almost fully crippled him again. He didn't get much of a chance to recover, to turn his head and curse out the attacker before the man was slamming the jail gate behind him. The ancient ruler found himself staring at nothing but the iron bars and the other side of the cage. 

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" He screamed when he was able to catch his voice, tugging at the wood and chains that bound his hands and he shuffled his body to the edge of the jail cell, pressing his face to the cold metal as he screamed it over and over again, demanding an answer. He wanted to know who had started this, who had dared defy his ruling. He had been so comfortable this morning, resting well in his throne as one of his advisors came forward with news of his latest project. He had watched in horror as an arrow went through their throat in the next second. Watched as they gurgled and fell to the cold stone, dying soon after. He watched the color drain from their eyes. 

He remembered his guards, not reacting, instead moving to subdue him as the attacker came forward. He didn't get time to protest as he was stabbed in his leg, his arm, and had a knife to his throat, warning him. As he grew quiet, fearing for his life...a cloth was placed over his nose and mouth and then, here he was. On a prisoner ship, bound for an unknown destination. He sighed heavily as he heard more slamming of doors, gently smacking his head against the bars. He should've known that one day his people would come to betray him. It happens to every king eventually. He had just assumed and gotten comfortable, too comfortable from the hundreds of years spent loving his subjects. 

"...don't hurt yourself now." 

The voice made the king jolt, lift his head up from the iron and look back over his shoulder. Behind him, resting in the corner of the cell, matching him in restraints but hardly in appearance as a man he knew all too well. Taller than him, a gruff red beard and hair underneath a blue hood, a green tunic with white fortune runes across the cloth. Red pants that were melting into the tall leather gray boots and gloves that were torn from the block they were forced in. 

"...Jack...not you too?" Geoff muttered, eyes widening when he realized just what it meant to have his comrade in here with him. He shook his head, his eyes starting to tear up as he tried to deny what this meant. If the kingdom next to him was also compromised, there were no allies to reach out to and he would be forced to watch his world crumble without hope. 

"I'm afraid so Geoff." The bearded man sighed, moving to get up, having no real sign of resistance and that was to be expected. Jack was a gentle giant, a man who would listen to anything asked of him and only offer advice, not competition. If he was captured, it was most likely that one of his villagers had come to him and simply asked him to surrender and he had agreed for the safety of his people. He walked over, reaching down to retrieve the golden tinted glasses that Geoff was known for wearing, having cracked against the wood when he was pushed. He reached out, placing them on the dark mess of hair where they belonged. "...it looks like both of our kingdoms want a change...and we were in the way." 

"...what did we do wrong..." 

"I don't know but there's no changing the past now. We must move forward with what we have." 

Their voices grew hushed as yelling came from the front of the ship, the sound of many other voices calling out. They were close to a port, something that both knew meant the end of the line was coming soon. They looked to each other, eyes sad and tears falling slowly. They were immortal, unable to be truly killed as they would simply be reborn after their body healed the mortal wounds. That however never meant that their lives couldn't be over. They could find themselves tortured for years upon years, slaves, or left to die every day in a environment, trapped and starving. It wasn't long before light flooded in and they were yanked from their prison, forced out of the boat and down a platform, where around them at least a hundred happy faces cheered for their deaths. Jack would keep his head down, eyes partially closed, doing his best not to show his tears but gladly showing his shame. Geoff on the other hand, was angry, glancing around at the familiar faces with a glare so heated, one would think the look could kill. They were shoved and jeered at, all the way to the edge of an obsidian pit, the square holding nothing but nearly pitch black cold unloving stone below. Two hands on either back and with a strangled cry, both men were pushed to their possible deaths, crashing down with pained screams as the crowd just continued to scream and riot around them. Stones were thrown at them, spit hitting their faces and clothing, someone at one point threw the meat of a pig near Jack's head. It was a possible hour of torment before finally, the crowd would start to disperse and voices would chant in the distance, "revolt". In the silence that followed, all that welcomed them overhead was a setting sun and a cold breeze that wafted down from the ocean. 

"Are you two quite alright?" 

The voice made Geoff jump out of his skin, yanking his head back to shoot a glare at whoever was near them, though it softened when he found that it belonged to another man in the large prison. Having been on the other side, hidden from his view as he kissed the obsidian beneath him, he would've never noticed the man...or his companions. The one who had spoken was dressed in a tattered black dress coat, a white shirt underneath that had some stains that resembled blood. Around his waist was a kilt, though just as battered as all the other clothes he sported. He looked regal with his fancy getup, the bright blue eyes and brown hair just further accenting it. The only off putting part of his appearance was the fanged smile and the way he held himself, as if even here in this hole...he was a master of the world. Beside him was a just as fancied younger man, brown skin, black hair and a scruffy unshaven appearance, glasses on his nose though they had the remains of a masquerade mask glued to them. The suit he was wearing was just as outlandish, a cape that flowed barely behind him and a rose pinned to his outer jacket. He didn't look like he had put up much of a fight either, joining Jack most likely in the habit of surrendering to whims. 

"Just goddamn peachy!" Geoff retorted, scowling and rolling onto his back, cringing at the pain that brought him but he needed to get off the wooden cuffs. He didn't get long to mouth off as the kilted man rested his hand on those restraints...and with a puff of dark smoke, they were gone. He did the same for Jack but the bearded man didn't respond, apparently knocked out cold from the fall. "...how did you do that?" 

"Don't ask how, perhaps, why is a better question." A smirk crossed over those lips as the man offered a hand, pulling Geoff to his feet then and held it, shaking briefly. "I am Ryan, King of the Underworld. That is Ray, King of the Rose Garden. And you and this poor unfortunate fellow, must be Geoff and Jack. We've been expecting you." 

 

"...kings, all six kings of the nations are here. This can't...can't be happening." Geoff muttered as he ran the details through his head again, gazing out at the men sitting around him in a circle. Two more had joined them since Ryan had freed them and now they sat here, discussing how exactly this had come about. 

The two other kings, Gavin and Michael, were the youngest next to Ray and clearly far more panicked about this than the older gentlemen. Gavin had tear stains across his young face, having been bursting into them occasionally during the talk and letting himself be comforted by Michael. The young accented man was dressed much like a creeper, an exploding demonic monster that roamed the outskirts of their kingdoms and the mere sight of which made anyone who saw Gavin from the corner of their eyes, jump and scream. He claimed it was a means of defense but judging by his attitude when he wasn't crying, it could be just a cruel prank. He was dealing with scruffy blonde-ish brown hair, bright green eyes that matched his matched his clothing and a scarf that had the unique blocky pattern wrapping around his neck. Michael was far fiercer in appearance, having the skin of an actual bear lacing his shoulders and head, the muzzle baring teeth down in his face and giving him the appearance of an animal from a distance. Yellow pants stood out against it, the fang of something around his neck and boots modeled to look like paws on his feet, around his wrists were fur lined gloves, overall just a threatening appearance. What was even more intimidating however was that during the conversation he had taken to eating the raw pig meat that had been thrown at them earlier, biting through the bones with ease. 

Judging by their stories, Michael's kingdom had been the most savage in their approach. Having led a bunch of feral people through the forest, they simply attacked him while he slept and torn at him whenever he resisted their efforts to drag him onto the boat. They murdered his pet bird, according to him, and threatened to do the same to the children of his people if he did not comply. He said he witnessed them slaughter a baby before he finally gave in and let himself be flung into the pit soon after. Gavin was taken the easiest, despite Jack and Ray's own admittance of having indeed surrendered to their will of their people, as he was simply thrown in the pit while still fast asleep. He apologized when everyone gave him dirty looks, claiming that he was at times, a heavy sleeper. Ryan was the one who almost got away, having murdered twenty-three of his attackers before they subdued him and that made everyone scoot a bit away from him before they continued about their talk. They learned where they were in proximity to each other, Geoff being the closest to Jack but both being miles away from Ray, who sat next to no one in particular. Gavin and Michael bordered each other, often partnering with their forces to take out zombies that plagued their villages. Ryan's kingdom rested beneath all of their's, underground and too often in pitch darkness. Hence it's name, he would say. 

"...who would do this?" Jack spoke when silence had fallen between them, not looking up from the small craft he held between his hands. A small pickaxe like shape, a representation of his people in trinket form. He traced his fingers over it, feeling his heart breaking into two once more. "...I thought my people were happy." 

"There is no use crying over it now." Michael answered, finishing off his bone and tossing it aside as he stood, belching for a moment and patting his stomach. He drew his hood back, revealing the curly brownish red hair and freckles that scattered across his cheeks. A normal boy underneath an animalistic appearance. He grunted, turning away, heading for the nearest section of obsidian wall that closed them in and he took a moment to study it. "We shall get out." 

"Oh good, I am starving." Gavin piped up, moving to get up and follow the bear boy with an almost cheerful smile, standing just a ways behind him to study the wall too. "How long do you think it will take, Micoo?" Such a strange way of pronouncing the boy's name but some of them blamed his accent. 

Now that caught the other kings' attention, all glancing in the direction of the two with confused looks and some with sad expressions. It was Geoff who stood up next, reaching over to pat Gavin on the shoulder and grab his attention. 

"I hate to tell you kids this but that's obsidian." 

Michael and Gavin exchanged looks before both turning their own confused gazes on the ancient king, as if they didn't understand what he was getting at. 

"...obsidian. It's an unbreakable material. It can't be cut, shaped, or broken. This wall is smooth as dicks, " probably not a phrase a ruler should say, "...we're never getting out of here. Trust me kids, I've seen this stuff kill many people." He sighed, looking up at the dark rock with a forlorn expression. It was true, he had...the material was almost considered outlawed in his kingdom. Too many fools trying to harness the power of lava and water and only succeeded in trapping themselves for an eternity of solitude. He too had accidentally killed himself during some of his projects were he tried to make new flooring and roofs, something protected by creepers. Their only hope was for someone to forgive them for whatever crimes they were accused of, give them a means of climbing out...or merely suffer until the end of time. Though as he looked back to the boys, he was shocked to find them both smirking, cocky and doubting of his story.

"...didn't you say you're from Achievement City?" Gavin asked, pushing the hand off his shoulder as he turned around to fully face the remaining men. "I thought you guys were the most advanced civilization out there, hm, guess my records were wrong. Hit it, Micoo, my boy!" 

The bear drew his fist back, snarling as he curled his fingers tight and the kings had to cringe and look away as that appendage came flying forward to crack against the black stone. They thought for sure that Michael's hand was broken, especially as they heard a sickening noise when it connected. Black shrapnel would go flying past Geoff's cheek however, briefly grazing the skin and leaving a thin bloody cut that made his fingers reach up to touch it. At the sting, he opened his eyes and blinked in wonder...at the fist shaped hole in the block before them. 

"...you....you...broke the unbreakable..."


	2. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael gets them out of the hole and onward to a new land they go.

It wasn't long before Michael had created a climbable path for them up the wall and into the night covered barren desert that would greet them outside. The pit they were destined for was apparently a lava pool that had been altered to create a space for them to rot. Once the last person was out, Ray receiving help from Ryan as he struggled to get the last few steps to the surface, they were left with nothing but sand, miles of sand and an empty hostile ocean to view. The wind was slightly chilly, the moon fading away so there was little light giving them means to see and millions of stars shone overhead with cosmic nebula visible from the lack of light pollution. Their only flora was a few cacti and some dead bushes, unloved land that scorpions, zombies, and skeletons most likely traversed. They weren't safe out in the open. 

Geoff glanced back to the men as they collected themselves, Jack surveying the condition of Michael's knuckles...which were bruised and slightly bloody but would heal fine in no time. The former king still couldn't believe that someone so young had managed to find a way to break a deadly stone wall so easily. A moment of hesitation before his leader instincts took over and he called out to them, raising his hand up, "Alright, let's keep moving, we need to find some means of shelter before the demons start smelling us and coming for our flesh...or worse, the assholes come back to throw more things at us." 

From the looks on their faces, no one was too keen to take orders but soon they gave in, realizing this wasn't the time to argue and one by one they moved to follow the man across the way, stomachs growling and wounds aching. A loud sigh of relief escaped all of them when the tops of trees would crown over the horizon and a forest would come into view. It didn't take long for Michael and Gavin to suddenly have energy again, letting out cheers as they raced ahead of Geoff and towards the treeline. Geoff could almost feel himself smiling, the sight heartwarming in a way but he quickly shoved that thought out of his mind as he refocused on the task at hand. Glancing over his shoulder to the remaining few, he noted the clearly tired Ray and the way Jack had started to sway. One too injured to go on much longer and the other, most likely not used to this amount of exercise. Judging by the way the young man had described his kingdom, they were an entirely peaceful country that had no major projects going on. Ryan was stronger in appearance, eyes focused straight ahead as he walked, determined to get there even if it would mean certain death. Geoff was starting to think the three older men balanced out the younger ones. He slowed his pace to offer his shoulder for the farmer to lean on, earning an appreciative hum in response. 

"You going to make it?" 

"Sore." 

"Figured...hey Ryan, you got any ideas?" 

That made the lord of darkness pause, looking away from his forward gaze and to the two men beside him. An eyebrow arched before he spoke, his voice low and cautious as if the question had him suspicious of an intentions Geoff had. "...and what gives you the idea that I would?" 

"You did something fancy earlier with our cuffs." 

A hesitant low chuckle escaped Ryan, holding up both hands as they glowed a dark purple momentarily. "Guilty." He muttered, before the glowing snuffed out and he shook his head slowly. "Where I come from, it's simply called magic. Though, I can't say I'm an expert at healing magic just yet, I can certainly offer my expertise in first aid when we find a more stable environment....now you'll have to pardon me for my bluntness but if we are to work together through this change, I would like to know what your key assets are. I have given mine, I am a employer of magic and have a great deal of intelligence." He said it almost mockingly, which didn't please Geoff one bit but he let it slide. "How about you, Geoff?" 

"...you got me there, buddy, I have...uh...well I'm older than probably all of you combined, I can guarantee that. So I have a lot of worldly knowledge and I've been building games for most of my life. So I guess I'm creative. Other than that, my kingdom was calm and peaceful. There was no need to advance ourselves further or learn new trades. We were content. I can speak for Jack however...he's a proficient farmer. One of the greatest I've ever seen actually, if not the greatest. He can build a farm and house in a day, can create a providing world for those around him that will help them thrive. He's got a great way with animals." The two more awake men glanced to the last one in their party, the quiet younger Rose King as they were calling him in their heads. 

Ray noticed the eyes on him and he looked up, blinking for a moment before he shrugged, not really giving much of an answer and they would've almost let him live with that choice if Ryan hadn't nudged him hard in the shoulder. 

"Herbology...I guess. Coming from a kingdom devoted to gardens, I kind of have to know somewhat about plants." The young man sighed, hand reaching up to rub and scratch at the exposed part of his neck. "...pretty good with some swords too. Pretty fast actually. Some people called me a phantom because they couldn't see me moving." A shrug of his shoulders as he lowered his hand, looking away. It could be assumed that he wasn't much of a talker or merely just out of his element. The description of his kingdom was nothing more than a natural wonderland, filled to the brim with giant flower trees and every plant imaginable. It was always sunny and his people had lived without fear of night demons. To be in such a harsh world now, with fear pounding their thoughts, this was no doubt something he was uncomfortable with to say the least. 

"We could use that-...what are they doing." 

All eyes glanced forward at that, where Michael and Gavin had found themselves at the edge of the forest. While the creeper king was cheering and waving his hands madly, Michael seemed to be hugging a jungle oak tightly. An odd sight and Ryan made a comment about "taking a picture", though the other kings hadn't a clue what that meant. As they approached closer, it was discovered the feral man was actually attempting to lift the tree out of the ground and move it, though the size of it was proving difficult. Geoff opened his mouth to make a comment about how it was impossible but quickly shut it as he recalled the obsidian not too long ago. He figured that if anyone could do it, it would be in fact Michael. 

"Hey dumbass," Ray spoke, moving past the three gentlemen he had been walking with and patting Michael on the shoulder, urging him to stop. "You're not going to get that up. These roots go down into the ground for nearly miles. They'll keep growing until the tree dies or runs out of room. You'd have better luck moving a small one." He gestured to a tree over, though it looked far close to it's deathbed due the heat of the sandy landscape just beside it. 

When he got the feral to give up on the quest, he suggested instead that they climb the tree for shelter tonight. Pointing upwards, the rose king began to explain how strong the branches and leaves were and how it's natural odor would ward away demons and animals. It was working well into a plan but there came a challenge. Jack couldn't climb. As they all paused to look towards him, Gavin quickly made a squeaky noise and raced off into the forest. One protested but left him to it when he swore he'd return. 

"I can carry him." 

Geoff sighed, gently guiding the farmer down to his knees to rest beside the large trunk, following him suit and keeping his shoulder there for support. "Michael, as much as I would appreciate that, I don't want to endanger your life. We're all in this together so we either need to find an alternative shelter or I can camp down here with him during the night." He held up a fist, curling it tight. "I've fought hundreds of creatures in my lifetime, I can defend him." 

"We could just kill him." 

The suggestion from Ryan had them all cringing, knowing full well that even as immortals, dying was still incredibly painful. There was a silence that fell over them however and they knew that it may have been the best choice in the matter. Jack would revive, fully healed, despite his moment of pain. Geoff's hand went to his shoulder, rubbing it as he comforted him and he was about to ask permission when suddenly Gavin was returning with a yell that made most of them jump. In the young boy's arms was now several vines and a few branches, strong enough that he had bloody hands from breaking them off. He smiled brightly at all of them as though he had come back to the most wondeful news, before holding up the items. 

"We'll get him up there with this!" 

"...vines and branches. You lost me, kid."

The creeper boy smirked, going to start working on the project he had sitting in his head, dropping down to his knees as he started weaving the branches together with the vines. Creating a platform of sorts as he neared the end of the task, he took the longest vine in his possession and threaded it through, knotting it carefully to it's own body. He was taking pauses in between each action, testing the strength of the plant and the size of the areas. Measuring with his fingers and making little noises of delight when something seemed to agree with him. He would look up between Jack and Michael, eyes squinting, counting off numbers silently to himself. He was starting to amaze those around him with the sheer number of things he was doing in one go. By the time he was finished, he hadn't the biggest grin on his face that anyone could have thought possible. He handed the end to Michael, gesturing upwards to the lowest branch of the oak beside them and then convinced Geoff to help him secure Jack onto the platform. As Michael dug his nails into the wood and began to climb, the vine tugged the tension stronger. It wasn't long before Jack was being lifted up along with the feral as he moved. 

A squeal erupted from Gavin as he watched his work come to it's full potential, the king reaching the branch he was told about and pulling the vine over the side. As he slid down, the weight between the two evened out and Jack was being pulled faster into the tree but not at a dangerous rate. 

Geoff reached out, patting Gavin on the shoulder as he moved to climb up after the two next. He earned an appreciative sound, the creeper king then looking to the others near him for approval and only brightening more when they smiled and nodded to him. Geoff made it to the branch, reaching to pull Jack out of the contraption and safely onto the thicker end. He held him close as the others followed, beginning to collect other loose branches and large leaves while they moved. It had to have been at least an hour before they had made a makeshift nest within the tree, Michael returning to cut into the bark with his razor sharp nails and provide them more table places to rest. Ray was explaining quietly why the vines and leaves would hold them, reassuring everyone that they were safe until morning, when the dew would cause the supports to slip and weaken. 

"What should we do come dawn?" Ryan asked, seeming to be more focused out into the forest rather than on the people in front of him. "...find a better shelter, move further into the land, or perhaps attempt returning to our kingdoms?" 

"...the last one is out for sure, we have no support that we can garner quickly. I vote we move further into the land but seek shelter at the same time, keep both a priority. Distance and safety." Geoff was taping his fingers against the wood next to him, glancing to Jack cautiously each moment as though he was afraid the man would disappear at any second. "...we should just sleep tonight, we can take turns for the watch. I'll go first...I don't think I could sleep anyways." 

Ryan sighed heavily. "...you're not alone in that." Though as he looked to the three younger men, they were all fast asleep in the best positions they could manage in the spot. Snoring away with childish sounds that proved they were too young to be kings. He smiled after a moment of watching them and that didn't go unnoticed by Geoff who sat across from him. The mustache'd man chuckled, watching the Underworld king blush a bit when he was caught and gestured with his hand as he spoke next. 

"...well in the meantime, will you tell me more about yourself? Your kingdom and your life?" 

 

"I was born in the Underworld." Ryan had taken a moment to himself as he adjusted his seating to get comfortable and lay back to stare up at the sky around them. It was barely visible through the branches and leaves but enough that he could enjoy it. "...pitch black but I could see through it...I knew I wasn't a human." The way he said that made a chill go down Geoff's spine and the king took a deep breath of air nervously. 

"...what are you then?" 

"...your kind, call me a demon...though I can't quite blame you for that. Many of my people resembled the monsters that move between worlds. Endermen, Creepers, Zombies, Pigmen, Skeletons, Spiders...you name it, I had a follower that could match it in appearance." He chuckled softly, counting them off with his fingers as he spoke. "I was born...odd...with a marking on me that would claim me as the rightful ruler of the Underworld. I was raised in luxury, taught schooling at a very young age and the moment the world considered me to be a man, I was placed in my throne and begged to lead the people before me. They killed the former king so that I may take his crown. Killed him by tossing him into a portal, then destroying it...he would be forced to walk the Nether for all eternity." He looked to Geoff, frowning. "You are aware of what the Nether is, correct?" 

"Yes, we share the same name for it. Or Hell if you're from the countryside." 

"...yes well...I grew fast and strong like my people expected, took to magic-" He stopped to emit a purple glow from his hands to demonstrate and remind the listening king of what he meant when he spoke of that. "...quickly...and I became the first of many to learn how to become human in appearance...but "demon" at heart." He smiled softly, wiggling his fingers as he lowered them. "...my kingdom loved me...worshiped me...like a god. Females would beg to bear my children, men would praise me as an idol to work towards, I was given gifts on a regular basis-offerings to better their lives. I was the front runner of every battle we faced, showing my people that we had nothing to fear because we were what everyone else feared. We grew larger as a kingdom and that was soon that we discovered the surface. Your worlds." He gestured out with his arms at the sky. "...the light."

A deep sigh and he closed his eyes as he lowered his hands to his chest, speaking in a soft voice. "Perhaps my world would have been safer without the light." He took a moment to himself again before blinking one eye open at Geoff, looking to him expectantly. "...and yourself, King Geoff?" 

"...don't call me King, man. That's just weird coming from you." Geoff rubbed at his own neck, awkwardly making a face as he bit his lower lip then as he opened his mouth to speak again, he cut off with a soft noise...not sure of how much he should tell. Granted, Ryan had just opened up to him as he had asked but he had a feeling that the man had done so to get him to speak his own history. His hand rubbed at his chin next, pondering before he earned an impatient noise and he looked up, apologizing quickly. "Sorry, I'm just...really old, so it's hard to know how to summarize it, you know?"

"...I guess, I was born just...normal...like, a mother, a father...in a village, with bakers, farmers, miners, guards...all of that...but I always wanted to have fun...just...let loose and do whatever. I guess I ignored a lot of what my parents asked me to do but I had a lot of friends. Some of the people that just wanted to be beside you throughout the day. Some of the greatest people." Geoff sighed, leaning on his hand as it rested on his knee. "I caught the eye of some guy-not in a romantic way...just with what I was doing, I interested him because I was so....carefree? Turns out...that guy was a king! Ha! Who knew?!...and yet he never told me about his fancy life...just...kept spending time with me and talking to me...and...then one day, he was gone. Just like that, he was gone." He snapped his fingers. "...and I had a village looking to me because he had left only one message. "Geoff is your king now."...at first they thought I had murdered him....and planted the note but...I was just as sad as they were that he was gone." He took another deep breath, feeling tears well up in his eyes but he did his best not to let them loose, staring intensely at his feet. "...I did my best to act like him but I wasn't him...and I learned quickly that you can't be a king and be someone else...so I changed the world around me with me...and we all just started playing games again." He smiled after a moment, sighing. "I ruled for years upon years like that...never thought I'd end up here."

"...perhaps, one day when we are safe again, you'll teach me one of your games?" 

"Hell, I'll teach everyone if we ever get there."


	3. First day on the job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the only hope for their survival and the world begins to feel...commonplace.

Geoff awoke with a start, nearly screaming the moment he realized he had fallen asleep. His eyes shot open and he glanced down at the item he was using for bedding, a wooden carriage floor by the looks of it. It took him a bit to realize he was moving and he quickly sat up, about to call out for the others but they were there. They were all there. Within the back of this wagon, Jack was nestled beside him, still sleeping away his pains and across from him was Ryan, legs folded properly as he waved to greet him cheerily. Sitting on the front edge was Gavin and Ray, who were chatting noisily about creatures in their homelands...and Michael...Michael was pulling the cart. When he made a strangled sound, they turned to look at him, greet him with smiles as well. 

"Good morning Geoff!" 

"HOW?!" Was all the king could blurt out, looking around him again before gesturing wildly at the cart. "Who, what, where, when, why, and how?!"

"Ray, Michael and I!" Gavin answered the first one, smiling brightly as he clapped his hands together. "It's an abandoned supply wagon! From the port! This morning while you were asleep, so we could move faster across the land and I'm not telling you cause you won't believe me." He snickered, sticking out his tongue as he kicked up his legs but the end result was him falling backwards into the cart beside Ryan, screaming in shock. Ray was the first to laugh, more energized than he had been yesterday, for certain. Michael was calling him an insult as Geoff sat up on his knees to peer over the edge. 

He could see they had made it out of the forest and desert, into some sort of field landscape that was nearly barren save for the occasional patch of trees and water. The hills would spring up at random and quickly disappear into a flat land once more. Wild boars were roaming in a patch of tall grass and butterflies, bugs, and birds scattered about whenever they were disturbed. He couldn't guess how long they had been traveling but he was now under the assumption that Michael had been moving a very decent pace. 

"We passed by some nomads earlier." Ryan commented, as he moved to slide in beside Geoff. "They told us of a village just past these plains. No affiliation with any kingdom, they're normally ignored because this land is supposedly uninhabited. It's fend for yourself but don't deny a neighbor kind of deal. Called the place Slow Mo ville or something akin to that." 

"...I know that place, my kingdom abandoned it years ago because the ground wasn't fertile enough. It must be a ghost town now." The addressed king sighed, leaning on his arms as he took a moment to think about their future. Heading to an abandoned town was hardly the most exciting thing on his to-do list but it held possibly the safest route for them all. Given his past experiences with the land, they most likely had to find unusual means of gathering food and collecting water. He recalled the land being partially desert, the ground dry and cracked, hardly any rainfall and fires were quick to start. They would no doubt have to work their way from the bottom. Something the king hadn't done in hundreds...maybe thousands of years. "...I guess we can make it work. We have Jack, if we can get him healed, he should be able to revive the ground. He's a master of farming after all." 

He glanced down at the slumbering man, a hand reaching out to rub his shoulder. Nothing but a soft grunt greeted him and he sighed heavily, concerned for his friend. "...do we know how much longer until we hit the borders?" 

"According to the one called Caleb, not long. It should be after we crest this hill." 

The nomads were correct in their report as it turned out. The wagon overtaking the mound of dirt brought to them a very welcoming sight. The village was nestled partially in the sandy dunes and otherwise in the plains, mountains in the distance looming over and the wind picking up in warning. Far from any large body of water, the closest thing to them was a small pond in the grassland. Cobblestone lined some of the buildings but the main structure was wood planks and most of it appeared to have been burned down at some point. Bookcases were damaged and papers deteriorating on the ground nearby gave an overall creepy atmosphere. It wasn't much for them but it was enough to earn excited noises from the lads. Once the cart was settled into the would-be farmland, the boys took off, racing around to explore the different buildings in search of new items. 

Ryan was the one who hung back, aiding Geoff in moving Jack from his makeshift bed and into the more intact of the buildings, a used to be village hall. As they pushed aside the broken door, their gaze was met with the soft illuminating light of a torch and both of their hearts began to race. Someone had already been in this village recently and judging by how fresh that torch was, it wasn't either of the travelers they had talked to earlier. Ryan pulled away from Jack, his hands beginning to glow with the substance he called magic as he took another step forward...and there he found a hammock in the back corner. Nestled inside of the hanging bed was a young man, looking weak and dirty-perhaps a lost homeless person who had wandered in for shelter. He was fast asleep, not paying any mind to the noises nor the presence in the building. When the second king would walk up beside the lord of the underworld to inspect the body, he rolled over to face the sunlight pouring in from the crack glass window. 

"...it would appear that we're not the only ones seeking shelter." The glowing hand reached out, ceasing it's power and then gently nudging the hobo awake, forcing him to stretch out and cracked his obviously tired joints. When he turned his head to stare up at the two, he jumped, falling out of his hammock and onto the floor. 

"Hey! Whoa! Okay...there are people here and they're not anyone I know. Who are you?! What do you want?!" 

Geoff held up both hands as the hobo backed into the corner and retrieved a new torchstick to brandish as a weapon. "Calm down, calm down...we just...want a place to stay is all. We're from pretty far away and got nowhere to go and we heard about this village and well...here we are." He gestured back at Jack, who was left leaning against the wall with gentle snoring escaping him. "...our friend is injured too, he can't keep moving so...please? Let us stay here?"

The hobo paused, frowning as he gazed over at the farmer and sighed, lowering his bludgeoning stick. "...alright sure, yeah you can stay, it's not like I own the place really anyways...I'm kind of in the same situation as you, just...less people. Don't expect me to feed you or anything, I've got my own problems." 

"We can handle ourselves, we just need shelter." 

"...have at it." He paused again, about to curl up back into his bed before he cast them a look and offered out his hand, first to Geoff. "My name is Jeremy." The king took the handshake and once he let go, the man was offering it to Ryan too. "Water is in the grasslands, sheep climb the mountain top, there's no cows or chickens within miles of here. Don't kill the sheep, don't pollute the water and we'll get along just fine." 

It didn't take long for all of them to get settled, claiming half of the building and leaving the other half to Jeremy, since he was originally there. In a way, they felt they owed him that much considering the most he was willing to share. With some help from some plants Ray had gathered on their travels, Jack was on the road to recovery, though still required a few days rest and Ryan was contemplating more practice with healing magic to help them in the long run. When Gavin made a remark about the king never wanting to leave them, he reminded them that there was safety in numbers. Night approached fast with little productivity, Michael having to sleep off his own exhaustion as the pulling of the cart caught up to him and Ray seeming to be insanely adverse to sunlight in general when it came to scouting the area. Ryan was the first to leave the building, choosing to go through the remaining papers and books in the hopes of find something worthwhile and the last two kings were on their way to explore the borders of the village. 

Gavin, as Geoff came to realize, wasn't the smartest guy to talk to. Sure, he had his moments where it was clear his brain had an intelligent thought but he often fumbled over how to speak it. What came out was usually childish and a garbled mess, his accent not making it any easier to understand. Despite this however, he continually found a way to make the older man laugh and that was worth the time spent nearly wanting to strangle him for the stupid things he said. They found the flock of sheep, noting the exotic pink woolen one that sat among them, grazing happily without a care in the world. Judging by his curved horns and how he perched himself among the rocks, he was the leader of the flock. The rest were pale grays and whites, common in the world and sadly, not as fluffy as most. It could be noted the desert heat would make it hard to sheer them on a regular basis, probably why Jeremy spoke up against killing them. Beyond them lied a dried up well, nothing more than chiseled sandstone and cracked clay to greet them there. They saw hills and dunes mostly in the distance and a windstorm kicking up close enough to make them uneasy. 

They made it back as the sun began to set and found themselves huddled inside the house as the heat of the day died along with it. Cool breezes wafting through the building and Jeremy awoke, just to snuff out the torch and leave them in absolute darkness. The sliver of moon hardly being enough to guide them should they need to get up and move. Any protests the kings made in regard to the darkness were ignored and the hobo was exiting out the door with a wooden pickaxe in his grasp, heading for a nearby mine with a simple goodbye. 

"Don't light the torch." He reminded, pausing to look back at them before he carried on about his way. 

"...why not?" Gavin whimpered, staring at the stick dug into the wall, hoping for a moment that it would simply just spring back into life. He was answered by Ryan, who was now resting against the wall where Jack had previously sat, a worn book in his grasp. 

"...I'm not up for questioning him right now, we can ask about it in the morning. Maybe he knows something we don't. Speaking of, morning however...what shall be our tasks when the sunlight rises again? Procuring food and water would be a good start but other resources should be kept in mind as well."

Ray's stomach growled in agreement and a few of the other kings chuckled before turning in against their simple beds of their torn coats. 

"If that's any indication, we can assign teams in the morning. Hopefully the night will pass quickly."

Darkness loomed over them and as the night carried on it was mostly quiet. That is until, a deep moaning could be heard from the shadows outside the walls. The only king who remained awake, Ryan, still casually reading his collected materials without the light source, was able to recognize the noise immediately. Zombies. Feared creatures that only roamed about in dark caves and at night, the surface lands. Their skin would burn when it came in contact with sunlight and therefore they could only hunt when it was gone. Now he understood the need to take out the torch for the night. If it was still burning, the zombies would be aware of the life dwelling within the walls of the pitch dark household. They would attack in a hoard, breaking down the doors and doing anything to get at their flesh. He was quiet as he shut his book, memorizing the spot was at and slowly but surely he stood. Traversing to the window, he gazed out into the night at the beasts that were walking by. He didn't fear zombies by appearance alone given his previous kingdom...but he did feel caution around the mindless. They wouldn't know of him here, these were not his people. 

They were walking by the village, inspecting the area for any signs of life and digging at the ground. He noted that there was nothing around them that actually indicated they were hiding and he had a sneaking suspicion that Jeremy took care of that before he left. A smaller zombie was climbing the ruined garden walls, racing about at high speeds that were unusual for the beasts. He scowled, despising the mutating they were doing over time. Though his thought process was interrupted as someone stirred in the pile of sleeping kings and somewhat glowing eyes caught his attention as he turned his head. Michael was becoming a light sleeper due to having slept most of the day away and the noises from the zombies caught his ears. He pushed himself up easily, slinking over the other kings silently and saddled up next to Ryan to peer out into the night. An exchanged glance and Ryan came to the realization that he wasn't the only king here who could see in the dark. He smiled, earning one back. Comradery in the simplest of ways, he could assume. 

They kept a watchful eye on the demons as they passed through and the dawn began to peak over the horizon. The monsters all over the desert and plains were quickly going back to their hiding spots underground or ultimately going up in flames. As they watched, Jeremy could be seen as well, climbing the hills into the village area with his bag and pickaxe in hand. It was Michael who got the door for him and the man was looking to the torch to relight it. 

"...hm...good thing I brought coal." He muttered softly, not wanting to disturb the other resting kings as he spoke. He glanced to the two awake, before going off to his side of the house to empty the contents of his bag. To the kings surprise, there was plenty of ore, ranging from the simplest of coal to the more exotic of a single emerald. The hobo was taking hold of the emerald first, inspecting it and using a small tool to chip away excess stone. He sat in mostly silence, working away at the gems while the rest of the royalty began to awaken. 

At first it was Gavin, yawning and stretching, letting out a confused noise when he noticed where exactly he was but once it dawned on him he was losing all manner of a good morning and slouching back against the stone with regret. He only smiled when he was soon joined by the feral king, leaning on the broad shoulder without a care as the stronger man growled low at him. Soon after would follow Geoff and Ray, the former needing to stretch his legs immediately while the latter just rolled slightly in his makeshift bed. As they all sat in silence, barely sharing a glance between themselves, the idle tinkering sounds echoing from the corner...time quickly passed on. The reality of their situation was setting in and their minds were clouding over with any and all negativity it could bring. It would've been perhaps an hour when the hobo in the corner let loose a frustrated noise and whirled around to face them. 

"Is this how kings spend their days?" 

"...you know we're kings?" Geoff muttered, tilting his head as he gazed over at the man in curiosity. He didn't recall any of them mentioning before their royalty or any clue that would truly give them away. Were their clothes that outlandish that even an outcast could tell who they were? He glanced down at his worn gloves, looking them over and frowning at the ruined details he loved so much. 

Jeremy looked absolutely affronted at the question, setting aside his tools as he stood, eyes narrowing. "Do-...do I know that you're kings?! Really?! Anyone with half a brain knows of your title!" He reached to point them out individually. Starting with the one who hadn't even stirred due to his medical issues, Jack was subject to judgement he wasn't even aware of. "King Jack! The lord of the farmers, who could spare a hundred loaves of bread but barely left the comfort of his own villa!" Onto Ray, who had taken off his glasses and was now squiting at him through blurred eyesight. "King Ray, forever a rose in his garden but thorns that prick anyone who dares make contact! The god Ryan, a feared creature who would deem torture an average way to spend the day and kept our own enemies closer as friends! The king of the ferals, Michael, who treats people who defy him as mere food! King Gavin, a fool who can't see past his own giant nose! And last but not least," He opened his hand, splaying out his palm as his eyes narrowed further, a scowl forming on his lips. "King Geoff, a man who played so many games he never took the time to consider who the players were...all wonderful rulers...to the rich and healthy part of their kingdoms. Never setting foot outside of their comfort zones and looking to their people who could use their help more than anything else. You are kings but you are also the reason why villages like this exist! If you could even call this is a village!" 

He flung his hands up, letting loose a loud angered yell. "This is more of a refuge for people who are broken and lost and for years upon years, people like me have been waiting for a king to step foot into this land and declare it to be saved, bring us out of the dirt we have to toil in every night just to claim another day to live without suffering and the day finally comes that all of the kings are at my doorstep and look who is the one begging for help! You should be honored I give you half of this sand I step on because you have never even given us a second glance!"

Geoff was on his feet, his expression taking one of anger too as he stepped forward, hands outstretched. "Now wait just a fucking minute here! I don't even know who you are!"

"...exactly, King Geoff. You never have...and I'm certain you still wouldn't have bothered to ever learn in the future had I not been your only hope right now." Jeremy took a few more steps forward, getting right in the king's face as he spoke, glaring the taller man down. "...now I ask again, is this what kings do all day? Do you really have time to mope about and cry over your lost fortunes? You will suffer for all eternity if this is how you intend to go about it." 

"Why you little-" 

"He's right." 

The voice made everyone in the room jolt, a tone that hadn't heard in quite a while and every gaze snapped to the now stirred and sitting up royal. Jack yawned for a moment before he stretched, cringing at the dull pain that resonated throughout his body as he did. He moved to stand, reaching for the wall for support and was ultimately aided by Michael beside him. He looked to the hobo, frowning but nodding in agreement. "...we shouldn't be resting too long. Jeremy here was kind enough to offer us his shelter and we should take advantage of it and aid him in building the world around us. We may have to start from scratch but it's not as if there isn't any hope at all. We owe him our respect and gratitude for anything he can offer us. We are in fact, blind to the needs of our people...if we weren't...we wouldn't have ended up here in the first place, would we have?" 

That seemed to make everyone around him hang their heads in shame. No one could dispute an argument like that when faced with what they had. A heavy sigh escaped the demon king as he moved to stand as well, setting aside his book he had opened during the arguing and dusted off his hands. 

"Well then...tell me, where should we begin?"

 

"We don't have much wood, so we'll have to form this garden walls from sandstone alone." The farmer looked around the area, resting against the stone wall of the fallen house. He looked to Jeremy. "Do you have a furnace? " 

"There's a broken one in another house, I haven't managed to light it." 

"I could probably fix it." Gavin spoke, looking thoughtful and the hobo nodded at him once, gesturing for him to follow. As they left, Jack was turning to look at his remaining crew. 

"Geoff and Ray, please gather a great deal of sand to start the stone process, Michael...if you could please start over there in the soil, create grooves for us to plant the stone and soon the water...Ryan, I assume your magic is capable of clearing grassland? We will need to find any and all seeds we can manage." A few more nods and the kings were moving, off into different directions, clamoring about hurriedly for fear of the day passing too quickly. As expected, Michael was the first to finish his task, his strength able to lift and move large patches of dirt at once. Soon after, Gavin would follow, announcing that he fixed it but wanted to move it's location closer. With the feral king's help, they brought the device into the token "home" as they now referred to it. 

It took Geoff and Ray longer to start packing the sand together, grunting heavily with the effort to move the weight and Jack was urging them to move faster though he himself couldn't help. When Michael came to their aid, it was progress but it wasn't until Ryan returned did anything really come to fruition. He dumped the myriad of seeds on the nearest stone surface before commanding the humans out of his way. They stepped back, holding their hands up in defense as his own began to glow anew. Eyes narrowed as sand moved beneath them, drawing up and forming the blocks, sealing itself into a tight form. The magic seemed to take effort however as the king of darkness's normal regal posture slouched. He was determined regardless and finished the sandstone walls before even thinking to take a break. His breathing had grown heavier, his eyes unfocused as he extinguished the glow. 

"...Ryan." Jack called softly, capturing the demon's attention as he turned his head slowly. "...come rest beside me, you have done enough to earn it." 

"...we need water, do we not? How will we transport it?"

"We will find a way, but not at the expense of your health." The farmer's tone was stern, akin to that of a father's concern and slowly the ordered king obeyed. Once settled beside him, he looked back to the others expectantly. "...your efforts could due to follow in his footsteps." 

It was almost an insult. Words that made Geoff, Ray, and Michael all flush with both embarrassment and frustration. It was Michael who spoke against it however, stepping forward with his fists clenched tight. "HEY! Who's the guy who dragged your sorry ass here and is doing all of the heavy lifting?! I'm the muscle and this is the thanks I get?! I'm not a servant, I'm a king! I am the mogar!" 

A heavy silence followed his outburst, until Ray broke the tone with a curious question. 

"...what the hell is a mogar?"

Gavin burst into a fit of giggles before he could stop himself, the tense volatile air around them shattering instantly now and several of them relaxed with long sighs. When his laughter died down, he shook his hands, gesturing at the feral king. "A mogar is the name of the strongest warrior in his kingdom. They're the ones most likely to become kings and warriors...and get first pick of the meals." 

"...huh, weird."

"Do not call my kingdom weird!" 

"I'm not! I'm just saying what you do is weird!" 

"That's the same thing!"

"Children please, daddy is getting a headache." Geoff groaned, rubbing his temples as Michael's shouting grew louder. 

"Whatever makes you happy, Geoff but I'm not into that sort of thing."

A loud thump echoed as the eldest king smacked the youngest upside the head, giving him a soft glare as he chuckled. He refocused on Jack a moment later, his own eyes narrowing. "Though Michael does have a point, Jack...you aren't taking into consideration what's really going on here...some of us...aren't used to this...and we won't get used to it overnight...we're going to make mistakes...we're going to fail...but we're trying..." 

A knock on the housing's structure behind them and the hobo was commanding attention once more, looking between them. With a bit of a stern expression, he spoke slowly, "...if you guys can survive the night without it...I can purchase a supplies tomorrow morning. Some of my comrades should be arriving back from the towns by then."

Geoff frowned at that, glancing over at Ray in particular, whose stomach had just recently growled. "...we'll need food to tie us over until then. I can last...but I don't want these kids starving." He looked to the others, reading their gazes over who exactly was hungry. Michael by far the least needy as he had just eaten the spoils from their trapping. "...is there...anything we can use for the remainder of the night?"

Silence echoed out, Jeremy and Jack's minds both working into overdrive as they thought over the nearby resources. 

"...what do you eat out here, Jeremy?" Gavin asked, looking at the skinny hobo with some sort of frail hope. 

"...until my friends arrive, usually nothing, though if I get desperate, I will kill a zombie for it's flesh."

"...then tonight, let's kill us some zombies."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not starting another fic, I swear. I just wrote this ages ago and it's constantly forgotten in my pile so I figured if I posted it-I won't utterly forget about it months down the line.


End file.
